Fight turns Fatal After a Man Bludgeons, Stabs and Shoots Victim

For Immediate Release 6/13/2017

Northwest Baltimore—Avery Little was found guilty of the second degree murder of Derrill Crawley. He was also convicted of using a handgun in the commission of a crime of violence and illegally wearing, carrying or transporting a handgun before Judge Julie Rubin.

Assistant State’s Attorney Traci Robinson prosecuted the case.

On the afternoon of January 28, 2014, Baltimore Police officers driving through the 5200 block of Denmore Avenue observed two groups of men—including Little—behaving as if they were going to fight. Officers waited until groups dispersed before continuing on their patrol route.

Officers were later called to a residence on the 5200 block of Denmore Avenue for a reported shooting. Upon arrival, officers located two individuals suffering from gunshot wounds. One of the victims was found lying near the curb, suffering from a gunshot wound to his stomach. He was transported to the hospital and survived his injury. The other victim—Derrill Crawley—was found lying on the porch of a home. He was unresponsive and was transported to Sinai Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. An autopsy determined the cause of death to be blunt force trauma; a stab wound; and multiple gunshot wounds. The manner of Crawley’s death was ruled a homicide.

Further investigation revealed that Little took a metal glass table top and smashed it over Crawley’s head. While the victim lay on the ground unconscious, Little proceeded to enter the home where he retrieved a butcher knife and stabbed the victim in the back. Little then entered the home again, this time coming out with a gun. An unconscious Crawley was then shot multiple times by Little before he fled the area. Within minutes, Little was stopped by the patrol officers who responded to the scene with a .38 handgun on his person.

Mosby praised the investigators in charge of putting the case together, as well as the skill demonstrated by ASA Robinson at trial.

“This office will continue to relentlessly pursue violent criminals, like Little, and hold them accountable to the fullest extent of the law for terrorizing our communities and taking lives as if they have no value,” said State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby. “Nothing was worth Derrill Crawley losing his life that day and I hope his family finds solace in this verdict.”